Obits for Butler County, Kansas Genealogy Trails

BUTLER COUNTY, KANSAS

OBITUARIES

BAKER, ALEX

Alex Baker, 91, of Route 3, Leon, a long time Butler County farmer and stockman and a former county commissioner died Tuesday afternoon at Allen Memorial Hospital.

He had been ill 2-1/2 months.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at the Latham Methodist Church with the Rev. Jimmie Evans of Leavenworth a former pastor at Latham officiating. Interment will be made in Brownlow Cemetery. The Dietz-Pittman Funeral Home is in charge.

Friends may call at the funeral home until morning of the day of the services.

Mr. Baker served as county commissioner from the First district after he was appointed in 1922 to fill the unexpired term of Josiah Jones. Mr. Baker was re-elected at the next election.

Mr. Baker's contribution to public service in Butler County helped to form a sound and conservative program of county policy at a time when because of the continuing tide of heavy oil development, many problems relating to highway needs and other public facilities arose.

Mr. Baker's death saddened a wide segment of Butler county. For many years, he had been regarded as one of its outstanding citizens. Of equable temperament, he made many friends and kept them. He was conservative in his ways, cheerful in his outlook and wholly upright in his character.

Though he lived past 91 he kept alert and well informed on all the happenings about him - and was optimistic for the future of his country. As a county commissioner, he was meticulous in the discharge of his duties and exceedingly careful in his spending of public money. He was in true reality, a gentleman of the old school.

He was born Oct. 11, 1871, in Davis County, Mo.

Mr. Baker was remained active all of his years, came to Butler county in 1888 at the age of 17. The family settled on a 360 acre farm in the Brownlow community - halfway between Leon and Latham - and the farm has remained Mr. Baker's home since that time, with the exception of five years which he spent in California. Mr. Baker returned to Butler County in 1901 to stay.

For a time he lived with his parents, the late Mr. and Mrs. John K. Baker at Chelsea.

He and Lucy DeMoss were married June 4, 1902, at the DeMoss farm home near Leon. Mrs. Baker died Feb. 18, 1935.

Mr. Baker was a member of the old Brownlow Methodist Church, the congregation of which later transferred to the Latham Methodist Church when the Brownlow church closed. He was a faithful an active church member, having attended services up to four weeks before his death.

Survivors include one son, Lowell Baker, of the home, with whom the cider Mr. Baker had engaged in farming; one daughter, Mrs. Charles (Juanita) Young, Medicine Lodge, Kan., one brother, John Baker, Taft, Calif.; one sister, Mrs. Maude Lowry, Torrance, Calif., three grandchildren and one great-grandchild. (El Dorado Times, Wednesday, page 7, January 16, 1963)

CULBERTSON, EDNA L.

Mrs. Edna L. Culbertson, 75, of Salt Lake City. Graveside services will be conducted at 1:30 next Wednesday afternoon in Brownlow Cemetery near Leon.

She was born Jan. 6, 1895 in Butler County, the daughter of Carl E. and Edith (Cornell) Semisch.

Mrs. Culbertson was a retired sales clerk, a 50 year member of Mizpah chapter of Eastern Star and a member of the Methodist Church.

She was married to John Culbertson, who survives. Also surviving are her daughter, Mrs. Frances E. Brunatti of Salt Lake City, two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren and two sisters, Mrs. Ray Rinehard of Canon City, Colo. and Mrs. Opal Doyle of Iola. (El Dorado Times, October 23, 1970)

DOYLE, JOHN JOSEPH JR.

John Joseph Doyle Jr., 71, Benedict, died Sunday at Fredonia. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at the Dunsford Funeral Home chapel in Augusta. Interment will follow at Brownlow Cemetery, near Leon.

Born April 5, 1902 at Green Bay, Wisc., he married the former Opal Kay Semisch on March 4, 1933 at Wichita. She survives him. He was a member of the Independent Order of Foresters.

Survivors include three brothers, Tom of Wichita, Dan of Benedict and Burt of Claflin, Kan.; five sisters, Mrs. H. E. Prigmore of Leon, Mrs. Grace Davis of Wichita, Mrs. Madge Edwards of Augusta, Mrs. Rose Larrick of Overland Park and Mrs. Catherine Scott of Augusta.

Dunsford Funeral Home, Augusta has charge of the arrangements. (El Dorado Times, November 13, 1973)

RINEHARD, RAY MARION

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 Tuesday morning at the Dunsford Funeral Home Chapel for Ray Marion Rinehard, 65, who died at his home Saturday. The Rev. Paul Gilbert will conduct the services. Interment will be in Brownlow Cemetery near Leon.

Ray Rinehard was born May 7, 1905 at Wynoka, Okla., the son of James and Nettie (Green) Rinehard. He was married to Billy Semisch on June 3, 1933 at Wellington.

He was a retired welder for the Mobil Oil Corp., refinery and moved here in 1925 from Wynoka.

Survivors include his widow; a step-daughter, Mrs. Mavise Dennett of Beuena Vista, Colo.; and a sister, Mrs. Fay Robinson of LaJuanta, Colo. (El Dorado Times, September 29, 1970)

WALLACE, BERTHA M.

Mrs. Bertha M. Wallace, 96, formerly of Cassoday, died Saturday at Mid-America Nursing Center. She was born Nov. 6, 1879 at Brazilton, Kan., the daughter of Dr. A. F. and Johannah (Fisher) Meyer. On Oct. 21, 1902, she was married to William T. Wallace at Brazilton. He preceded her in death Aug. 6, 1967.

The family lived in this area since 1909 moving here from Walnut, Kan. They operated a dry goods and grocery store in Cassoday until their retirement in 1960.

She was a member of the German Lutheran Church, Brazilton, and Walnut Chapter NO. 90 O. E. S. for 78 years.

Survivors include one daughter, Mrs. Marcet Dauber; six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, two sisters, and one brother.

Services for Mrs. Wallace will be Tuesday, 2 p.m. at Dietz-Carlson Colonial Chapel. Interment will be in Cassoday cemetery. (El Dorado Times, November 10, 1975)

WATKINS, LEONARD FISK SR.

L. Fisk Watkins Sr., 95, of El Dorado, farmer and rancher, died Tuesday evening, April 7, 1992, at Knutson Manor. Private family services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at the Cassoday Cemetery.

He was born Feb. 16, 1897, near Towanda, to Thomas and Valnetta Fisk Watkins. He graduated from El Dorado High School and served in the U. S. Army during WWI. He worked for a short time for Beech Aircraft in Wichita and was a ranch and farmer in the Cassoday area where he spent most of his life. He and Eleanor E. Miller were married in July, 1923 in Council Grove. He attended the Cassoday Methodist Church.

Survivors include: wife, Eleanor, sons, Leonard Fisk Watkins, Jr., Howard G. Watkins, both of El Dorado, three grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren.

A memorial has been established with the Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children. Carlson Funeral Home has the arrangements. (El Dorado Times, April 8, 1992)

WELTY, EMMA MARIE (MRS. LLOYD ROLLO)

Mrs. Lloyd Rollo Welty (Emma Marie) 70, died Saturday, April 5 at the Colonial Manor Nursing Home in Douglass. Services were Tuesday afternoon at the Kirby Funeral Home Chapel.

Rev. V. E. Faulkner officiated, Mrs. A.J. Brazil, organist played various selections including "In the Garden," and "Shall We Gather at the River." Interment was at the Cassoday cemetery.

Mrs. Welty was born January 22, 1905 in El Dorado. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Don C. French (Katherine Harrison). She married Lloyd Rollo Welty December 16, 1934, at El Dorado. He died May 13, 1969. She had lived in Douglass for the past four years and prior to that she had lived in the El Dorado area for 32 years.

She was a member of the First Baptist Church.

Survivors include one daughter, Mrs. Irvin Randall, Jr., of Winfield; three sons, Sam L. Welty, 219 West Olive, Lloyd R. Welt Jr. of Rock Springs, Wyo., Donald A. Welty of Independence, Mo.; one step-brother, George Pettijohn of El Cajon, Calif., and nine grandchildren. She was preceded in death by two sons Ronald and J. B. Welty. (Butler County News, April 10, 1975)

WELTY, GEORGE C.

George C. Welty, 52, died suddenly Friday night after being stricken at his home 607 North Summit. Death was attributed to a heart attack.

Mr. Welty had been a resident of Butler County all his life and moved to El Dorado six years ago from a farm near Cassoday. During the time he lived in El Dorado he was employed for a heavy equipment operator for the State Highway Department.

Mr. Welty was born June 27, 1913 in Sycamore township and was married to Cleo Copeland, in El Dorado on Jan. 2, 1937.

He was preceded in death by a son, two brothers and two sisters.

Surviving are his wife; two sons, George C. Welty, Jr., San Pedro, Calif., and Richard Charles Welty, of the home; a daughter, Miss Irene Welty, Wichita, three brothers, Lawrence Welty, 824 South Emporia; Lloyd Welty, 711 West Towanda, and Charles Welty 521 North Taylor; three sisters, Mrs. Nellie Pierce, 219 North Gordy; Mrs. Thelma Long, Leon and Mrs. Connie Whitmore, 316 South Taylor.

Funeral services will be conducted Saturday at 3 p.m. in the Dietz Pittman Colonial Chapel, by Rev. Dean Rutherford, pastor of the Woodlawn Christian church, Wichita.

Interment will be made in Cassoday cemetery. (El Dorado Times, October 29, 1965)

Funeral services for George C. Welty, 52, of 607 North Summit, who died here Thursday, were conducted Saturday at 3 p.m. in the Dietz-Pittman Colonial Chapel by the Rev. Dean Rutherford was assisted by Rev. Ivan H. Hansen, pastor of the First Christian Church of El Dorado.

Mrs. Clarren Butterworth played the organ accompaniment for Graydon R. Waldorf, who sang, "We are Going Down the Valley," and "Sometime We'll Understand."

Casket bearers were: A. J. Hoy, Robert Diller, Charles R. Rogers, Lowell P. Griggs, Sr., Frank Vervynck and George Travnichek.

Interment was made in Cassoday Cemetery. (El Dorado Times, November 1, 1965)

WELTY, JAMES LAWRENCE

Services for James Lawrence Welty of 205 North Washington who died Tuesday were held Friday morning at the Dietz-Carlson Colonial Chapel with burial in the Cassoday Cemetery.

The Rev. Leland Teuscher, pastor of the Trinity Lutheran Church officiated and Mrs. Amos B. Marsh played the prelude and postlude at the organ. Garwood Williams sang "Going Down the Valley" and "How Great Thou Art."

Casket bearers were Sam Welty, Dale Hamilton, George Welty, Jr., Virgil Martin, Terry Martin and Clyde Martin.

Members of the Golden Age Club attended as a group. (El Dorado Times, October 15, 1977)

WELTY, LLOYD R.

Lloyd R. Welty, 64, of 219 West Olive, a truck driver and resident of El Dorado for the past 30 years, died this morning at Allen Memorial hospital.

Funeral services will be conducted Friday at 2 p.m. at the Kirby Funeral Home chapel. The Rev. Fred Daugherty, pastor of the Park Avenue Baptist Church will officiate. Burial will be in Cassoday Cemetery.

Mr. Welty had been a patient at the hospital since Saturday. He was admitted following a traffic accident several miles north of El Dorado in which a loaded concrete truck he was driving upset.

Born in Sycamore township on Oct. 17, 1904, Mr. Welty was married to Emma Harrison at El Dorado on Dec. 16, 1934. He had lived here for the past 30 years and prior to that lived in the Cassoday and Burns communities. He had been employed as a truck drive by Lewis and West for the past 23 years.

Mr. Welty was a member of the Baptist Church.

Surviving are his wife; a daughter, Mrs. Irvin Randall Jr., of Winfield, four sons, Donald Welty of Omaha, Neb., J. B. Welty of Casper, Wyo., Lloyd R. Welty, Jr., of Kimball, Neb., and Sam Welty of the home; three sisters, Mrs. B.A. Whitmore of 504 North Gordy, and Mrs. John Long of Kansas City, Mo.; and two brothers, Charles Welty of 521 North Taylor and Lawrence Welty of 205 North Washington.

There are eight grandchildren.

Mr. Welty was preceded in death by a son, Ronald Welty who died on April 19 and by two brothers, George Welty and Darrell Welty. (El Dorado Times, May 13, 1969)

WELTY, RONALD EDWIN

Ronald Edwin Welty, 1342 South 21st Street, Oklahoma City, a former El Doradoan died April 19 at his home, a result of an accidental shooting.

Born in Sycamore township, Butler County, July 9, 1935 he was the son of Lloyd and Emma (Harrison) Welty. He attended El Dorado schools and on Nov. 30, 1968 was united in marriage to Jean Blankenship at Wichita Falls, Texas. He had been a resident of Oklahoma City for the past two months, going there from Omaha. He was employed as a truck driver for the Lee Way Motor Freight Lines. He was a member of the Baptist Church.

Surviving are his wife, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Welty, 219 West Olive, El Dorado; one sister, Mrs. Irwin Randall Jr., Winfield; four brothers, Donald his twin brother, Omaha, J. B. Casper, Wyo., Lloyd R. Jr., Kimball, Neb.; and Sam, serving with the U. S. Army in Vietnam.

Services will be held at 2 p.m. today (Thursday) in the Kirby Funeral Home Chapel, the Rev. Donald D. McCracken, the Rev. Donald D. McCracken officiating. Interment will be in Cassoday Cemetery. (El Dorado Times, April 24, 1969)